Is Austin Really Restaurant Friendly?
Austin has a national reputation as a business-friendly city. On the whole, that statement seems reasonable. But take a closer look into the restaurant segment of Austin’s business map. And remember, the restaurant/bar industry in the Austin area employs more workers than our much ballyhooed and tax-abated tech industries. Business-friendly means that the city makes […]
Burnet Trifecta Packing Them In
I’ve always loved the trifecta at the racetrack. But that’s a long shot at best. There is a restaurant trifecta on Burnet that is, as racing fans would say, a lock. I’m talking about the back-to-back-to-back configuration of Noble Sandwich Co., Fork and Taco and Pinthouse Pizza. These are three restaurants that have substantially elevated […]
Podcast: Steve Southern
Steve Southern is the subject of this week’s podcast. A Texas-born chef, he trained in Dallas, and cut his spurs at the Hyatt under the tutelage of some real pros. He later opened a restaurant in San Antonio, and then joined Iron Cactus where he refocused and improved the tequilla grille concept. He moved […]
Hoover Alexander: a Chef and Man for All Seasons
This is not a restaurant review. If anything, it’s an appreciation of a pillar in the Austin food community and the story of one hell of a nice guy. I first met Hoover Alexander almost 30 years ago when I was doing my short-lived and first restaurant review stint on the then KTVV-TV (now KXAN-TV) […]
The Most Influential Restaurants in Austin
We are blessed with many fine restaurants in Austin. But among that group there are a few that stand out as being the trend setters for other restaurants. You know: the places local chefs and aspiring restaurateurs really pay attention to. Congress Since the first day he arrived in Austin over a dozen years ago […]
Podcast: Joe Piefer
Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes of a hospital food operation? Well, this week’s guest, chef Joe Piefer of Arise Medical Center on Bee Caves Road can shed some light on that. I’ve never been a fan of hospital food: everything always seems to have a green or dull gray hue to it. […]
Did Restaurant Indifference Contribute to the Biker Shooting in Waco?
According to Waco police, the violent biker melee which erupted Sunday in and out of Twin Peaks restaurant and left nine killed could have been prevented had restaurant officials been more cooperative. The jist of this is that the Waco chain restaurant has a regular Thursday “biker night” and openly caters to the area biker […]
Austin Originals: Beau Theriot and Shirley Shaw of the Oasis
Aside from being two of the nicest people I’ve ever met, Beau Theriot, founder and owner of the Oasis atop Lake Travis, and Shirley Shaw his long-time consultant for operations and marketing, have persevered against a variety of almost Biblical plagues that would have caused most restaurant owners to light out for the territories. They […]
Places You Should Try in the Spicewood Area
Many Austinites don’t give the Spicewood area on Highway 71 the chance it deserves. There are some little gems out there that are worthy of consideration. Here are just a few of our favs with more on the way. Angel’s Ice House This little comfort food emporium on 71 dishes up pretty much things that […]
South of the River: New Restaurants Taking Off
Until very recently, South Austin has been a bit sparse on the food scene. But that has changed quite a bit in the past 3-4 years. Jack Allen’s Kitchen in Oak Hill really got things started as Jack Gillmore’s upscale comfort food really struck a chord. Son Bryce got things rolling on South Lamar, first […]
Chez Zee Makes Jimmy Kimmel Go Bananas
Stopped at Chez Zee today for lunch, and heard the story of Jimmy Kimmel and owner Sharon Watkins’s Banana Cream Pie. Seems that Sharon had just developed her new version of the pie. A couple of Kimmel staffers stopped in, tried the pie, and told Sharon that Banana Cream was Jimmy’s favorite pie. So Sharon […]
Podcast: Hoover Alexander
This week’s Podcast takes us into the fascinating world of Hoover Alexander, southern soul food entrepreneur and owner of Hoover’s Cooking on Manor Road. I first met Hoover 33 years ago at Toulouse on 6th Street, a New Orleans-style restaurant that had a great run. Later he cooked at Chez Fred before turning Good […]
Easter Dining Recommendations 2015
Each year we usually provide you with a ponderous list for Easter brunch choices. This year will be a bit different. We’ll narrrow out list a bit, and provide some brief commentary on each choice. So enjoy and have a wonderful day. Don’t forget to email us with any questions. Freda’s Seafood Grille This is […]
Hong & Young Quach: Behind Hao Q
You don’t find many situations where two brothers marry two sisters, and both couples start restaurants. Well, that’s the case with Austin’s Hao Q and Hao Hao. In this week’s podcast we take a look at Hong and Young Quach, the owners of Hao Q on Far West Blvd. It’s quite a story, so enjoy […]
Foodie Survivor Tips for SXSW
The annual carnival known as South by Southwest comes to town this week, which means a significant disruption of the downtown dining we locals are used to. Tip #1 You can’t navigate anywhere downtown so don’t even try. Drive your car to the closest point and then arrange for Uber to pick you up. And […]
